The Segerstrom family pose at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's renaming ceremony to Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Fifty members of the Segerstrom family, resembling the "Sound of Music" cast, attended the re-naming ceremony of the Orange County Performing Arts Center to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, on Wednesday, January 12th on a balmy Southern California evening. For 25 years the Orange County Performing Arts Center, now named Segerstrom Center for the Arts, has brought world class ballet, opera, music and theater to Costa Mesa, 400 performances a year. The four theaters and the South Coast Plaza, a mecca of luxury shopping, are built on 14 acres of lima bean farm land, donated and developed by the Segerstrom family. Early pioneers, the Segerstroms arrived with eleven children to farm at the turn of the 20th century. The Wednesday night crowd of 1,500 gathered, on the Arts Plaza dominated by a monumental 65 foot high steel Richard Serra sculpture, to celebrate the Segerstroms’ vision. Chris Botti, Grammy winning trumpeter in a dark suit and tie, kicked off the evening with his band. Billy Childs on the piano, the gorgeous violinist Caroline Campbell and Rolling Stones' singer Lisa Fisher performed.

Founding Chairman Henry Segerstrom, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, and John Daniels

Henry Segerstrom, 87, married to Elizabeth Segerstrom, is the Founding Chairman of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and managing partner of C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, was honored last year with the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence. The following night, as the sun set, Henry Segerstrom was introduced from the stage by former Governor and friend Arnold Schwarzenegger. "I have been around the world and I've never seen anything like this" said the Governor, as he presented Segerstrom with a copy of the Governor's ring. Segerstrom thanked the Governor and paid tribute to his wife Elizabeth, for her role in the planning of the celebration. The grand finale was a $100,000 firework display.

Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger presents the official Governors ring to Founding Chairman Henry Segerstrom

Violinist Caroline Campbell performs

Grammy award winning performer Chris Botti performs

The Segerstrom family on stage for the unveiling of the Orange County Performing Arts Center's renaming ceremony to Segerstrom Center for the Arts

The crowd at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's renaming ceremony to Segerstrom Center for the Arts

At the after party in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, a Cesar Pelli designed hall that opened in 2006 with a performance by Placido Domingo conducted by Valery Gergiev, Cartier served priceless champagne from crystal bottles. Debra Gunn Downing, executive director of marketing at the South Coast Plaza, explained "This is champagne only served by Cartier. It can never be purchased." Jacqueline Bisset talked to the world famous Bolshoi ballet dancers Natalia Ospiova, in blue Escada, and Ivan Vasiliev, both dancing in the female-power version of the "Kings of Dance," "Reflections," opening January 20th, co-produced with the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Among the guests at the party were: Elizabeth An, Gloria Brandes, Mickey and Ishani Dhillion, Bill and Christina Lyon, State Assemblyman Jose Solorio and the Hon. Jerrie Schipske. Segerstrom family at the party were: Sandy and John Daniels, Anton and Jennifer Segerstrom, Toren Segerstrom, Sally Segerstrom, David and Andrea Grant, Ruth Ann and Gene Moriarty, Jean Moriarty, Richard Moriarty, Ted and Rae Segerstrom, Susie Perry.

Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, husband John Daniels, Sally Segerstrom, Tiffany Modica, and husband Joseph Modica

Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talks with Board Chairman Thomas McKernan

Bolshoi Ballet dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev

Orange County Museum of Art Director Dennis Szakcas, Twyla Martin, Chuck Martin, and Sally Crockett

Henry Segerstrom and Sandy Segerstrom Daniels

Jacqueline Bisset and Center President Terry Dwyer

Elizabeth Segerstrom and Founding Chairman Henry Segerstrom

Board Chairman Thomas McKernan, Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom, and Center President Terry Dwyer

Parvina Glidewell, Tawny Kitaen, and Kristina Steiner

Artist Bill Viola and Elizabeth Segerstrom

Josiah Lilly, Roni Moore, and Steven Mastrotaolo

Susan Kirkland, Kendra Puryear, Deborah Keillor, and Eric Keillor

Teri Pitchess, Jennifer Blanchfield, Annette Gonzalez, and Teri Cullen

Orange County Museum of Art Director Dennis Szakcas, Debra Gunn Downing, Jim Canter, and Center President Terry Dwyer

Steve Ross opened this past Tuesday night for three weeks at the Oak Room of the Algonquin. Ross epitomizes the cabaret performer of the 1930s and 40s, calling on its popular composers for much of his sophisticated material. He performs more than 30 songs in the show, with the bass accompaniment of Brian Cassier. He opened the evening with a lively medley combining the title song with Jimmy McHugh and Ted Koehler's "Spreadin' Rhythm Around" (both introduced in 1935 by Ella Fitzgerald and "Fats" Waller, respectively); followed that up with a set about seduction (Flanders and Swann's droll "Have Some Madeira, M'Dear"), and marriage both sentimental (Kander and Ebb's "Married" and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's "The Folks Who Live on the Hill") and sarcastic (Rodgers and Sondheim's "We're Gonna Be All Right" from Do I Hear a Waltz?). There was plenty of Cole Porter and Noel Coward, but also Jacques Brel's dark "Fanette and I" and Ivor Novello's "And Her Mother Came Too.” Also a set on the romance of travel, with Bob Merrill's rarely-heard "Mira" (from Carnival!) and a pair of Coward gems: "Sail Away" (from the 1960 flop of the same name) and, from 1955, the rudely hilarious "A Bar on the Piccola Marina," about the sexual awakening of the formerly staid Mrs. Wentworth Brewster. There was a generous helping of Rodgers and Hart, including "Falling in Love with Love" (The Boys From Syracuse) and "Glad to Be Unhappy" (On Your Toes, 1936). The set was punctuated by some looks at romance from Dorothy Parker – also very appropriate in a show at Algonquin, where Ms. Parker was a regular at its fabled Round Table.

Brian Cassier and Steve Ross

The show concluded with an Edith Piaf instrumental medley, followed by an encore that briefly recapped "Rhythm and Romance" and then segued into an affecting rendition of “My Romance” (“Jumbo”). Show runs January 18-February 12: Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 pm and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11 pm, with a $50 cover charge plus either a $30 food and beverage minimum or a $60 prix fixe dinner. Reservations: 212 419 9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com [1]

Alex Aubry and Steve Ross

Steve Ross and Tom Gates

Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin

Fred Winship and KT Sullivan

Bill Boggs and Leslie Bennets

Leslie Bennets, Bill Boggs, KT Sullivan, Steve Ross, Jim Brochu, and Steve Schalchlin

Emilia and Pepe Fanjul hosted their annual Dinner Dance benefit at Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach for the Everglades Preparatory Academy and Glades Academy Charter Schools.

Emilia and Jose Pepe Fanjul with Emilia Pfeifler

Judy and Alfred Taubman

Blair and Stuart Kirwan

Anne and Bill Mann

Howard Cox and Susan Gardner

Kristy Clarke, Don Burns, and Talbott Maxey

Mark and Gita Costa

Chris and Grace Meigher

Raysa and Alfie Fanjul

Carol and Earl Mack

Robin and Norberto Azqueta Jr.

Jamee and Peter Gregory with Hilary and Wilbur Ross

Arianna and Dixon Boardman

Kate Werlein and Bingo Gubelmann

Helena and Roman Martinez

Emilia Fanjul, Chris DelGatto, Tracy Sherman, and Veronica Webb

Kate Khosrovani

Cathie and Andreas Fanjul

Tucker and Charlotte Johnson

Lourdes and Jose Pepe Fanjul, Jr.

Frank Chopin and Kathy Ford

Alessandro Guerini-Maraldi with Lillian and Luis Fernandez

Back in NY ... This past Tuesday night they celebrated Betty White's 89th birthday at Le Cirque. Among the guests toasting the birthday girl were Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick , Judah Friedlander, Nichelle Nichols, George Scott.

Betty White

Judah Friedlander and Jack McBrayer

George Segal

Hoda Kotb

Sabrina, Sirio, and Marco Maccioni

Lauren and Johnathan McLain

Stephanie Powers

Sherri Shephard

Ana Gasteyer

Ariana Huffington

Sirio and Mauro Maccioni

Wendy Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, and Jane Leeves

Marco Maccioni and Nichelle Nichols

Also Tuesday night, the 2011 Cinema Eye Honors were held at the Museum of the Moving Image. Among those attending were Albert Maysles, Morgan Spkurlock and Harry Shearer.

Muffie Meyer and Albert Maysels

Ross Kaufman, Esther Robinson, and Morgan Spurlock

Jeff Malmberg and Laura Poitras

Harry Shearer

Jess Such and Beadie Finsy

Chris Krager, Amy Grapel, Gena Papabeix, and Louis Psihoyos

Esther Robinson

Jay Kelly and Steve Bognar

Jim Sauter, Lenny Crooks, and Rosalie Sauter

Eddie Schmidt

Jamie D'Cruz

John Flansburgh

Matt Porterfield

Patrick Creadon

Albert Maysles

Albert Maysles and Muffie Meyer

Margaret Brown

Louie Psihoyos and Esther Robinson

Turner and Bill Ross

Aaron Schock, Marya Schock, and Doug Jones

Bernardo Britto, James Benson, and Michael Forstein

John Flansburgh

Josh Norton, AJ Schnack, and Audrey Marrs

Mila Aung-Thwin and Lixin Fan

Sam Green, Emily Hubley, and Aaron Schock

Alison Willmore and Isreal Ehrisman

Kirsten Johnson, Laura Poitras, and Johnathan Openhiem

Photographs by PatrickMcMullan.com (Betty White, Cinema Eye); Ann Watt (Steve Ross); Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging & Getty Images (Segerstrom); Lucien Capehart (Everglades)

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